student will mark the answers on a marking sheet in pencil with a single horizontal line through the appropriate square. Only one box should be marked for each question otherwise the computer marking system will reject the student's answer for that question and leave the student without a mark. The marking system will also reject any question that is marked with a cross (x), a tick (✓), or a circle (◽).
All of the questions are written in the same format; therefore, the student will need to have the relevant knowledge to apply to the scenario of the question in order to answer it correctly and score one mark.
About the Companion Website
This book also has a companion website:
www.wiley.com/go/foxhall/oral‐health‐education
This website includes:
Multiple choice questions
Extended matching questions
Sample questions and keywords
Videos
Roles and Responsibilities
In a dental practice there are many people that make up a team in order to have a well functioning unit. This includes dentists, hygienists, therapists, and dental nurses. Clinicians are able to take on further studies and become specialists in various other fields, such as oral surgery or endodontics. Dental Care Professionals (DCPs) are now able to study to hold extended duties. Some examples of these are oral health education, radiography, sedation nursing, impression taking, or implant nursing.
Dentist
A student spends five years completing undergraduate training at a university dental school. When the final examinations are completed, the students are awarded a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) which then allows them to enrol onto the dentist register with the General Dental Council (GDC). The register is held by the GDC and contains the dentist's full name, GDC number, and qualifications; the register is made public so patients can access these details.
Dentists that are registered have many opportunities to progress in the profession depending on their interests. Some of the options they have depending on location are:
general practice, either NHS or private
community dental services
educational services
armed forces
hospital services.
Dental Nurse
A dental nurse is trained to work alongside the dentist and support them while servicing patients in whichever area they decide to work; this could be in a general practice, NHS, or private, community dental services, armed forces, or hospital services. Before 2008, dental nurses were not classed as a registered profession. A dental nurse at that time could be recruited and work without any education or professional qualification. Now, a dental nurse – on completing their qualification with an accredited course provider – must register with the GDC in order to continue working. This registration is then renewed every year in order to continue working in the profession.
A dental nurse role should include, but is not limited to, the following:
Performing chairside assistance to a dentist, hygienist, or therapist throughout all procedures safely and effectively and in accordance to the GDCS scope of practice and your level of training.
Following practice policies and procedures.
Maintaining indemnity and registration with the GDC.
Undertaking CPD in line with the GDC guidelines for E‐CPD.
Maintaining and promoting productive working relationships with colleagues.
Assisting any trainee dental nurses within the practice.
Assisting with any reception or other clerical duties as required.
Following health and safety guidelines to ensure safety for all members of the dental team.
Complying with all guidelines, such as: PPE, COSHH, mercury handling, infection control, and waste disposal.
Acting in accordance to all practice rules and codes of conduct.
Key tasks for a dental nurse could be, but are not limited to:
Following the practice procedures for infection prevention and control.
Setting up and preparing treatment rooms for each patient's appointment.
Preparing necessary materials and instruments, making sure that equipment and instruments are in safe working order.
Disposing of waste in the correct bins, such as clinical waste, special waste, and normal waste.
Assisting during taking and development of radiographs to your level of training.
Having relevant paperwork ready on reception, in surgery, or for a patient if requested.
Preparing and sending referrals to your level of training.
Maintaining and decontaminating equipment as per manufacturer's instructions.
Providing chairside support to the dentist, hygienist, or therapist during treatments.
Preparing materials and equipment.
Assisting in keeping full, accurate, and contemporaneous clinical notes for each patient.
Monitoring, supporting, and reassuring patients.
Supporting colleagues if there is a medical emergency.
Following all compliance rules set out by your practice.
Oral Health Educator
An oral health educator has an important role within the dental setting to help prevent oral disease and promote good oral healthcare. Working as an educator means you have to hold a session, seeing patients on a one‐to‐one basis and promoting good oral health. These sessions could be held with a range of patients from children right the way through to senior patients. You may even be required to work within the community, meeting at schools and providing group sessions offering advice to children and their parents. As an oral health educator, you may want to expand your knowledge onto further areas such as:
diet and nutrition
impression taking
fluoride application
smoking cessation.
Working as an oral health educator, you are aiming to:
Reduce the patient's risk of dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral cancer.
Improve the patient's quality of life, including social and mental wellbeing.
Improve the patient's education on how to care for their oral health.
To complete the aims outlined above, you may be asked to:
Give advice